This invention relates to an improved dispensing container or carton for materials supplied in roll form, particularly polymeric film, wax paper, metal foil and like wrapping materials for household and other uses. It has been known heretofore to provide dispensing cartons which are foldably erected from flat carton blanks of paper or paperboard materials. One of the recognized problems for cartons of this type is that a lead portion of the roll, after it is started is usually not adequately prevented from withdrawing back into the carton. This problem is most objectionable regarding wrapping materials of the general type having cling characteristics, since the lead portion or "lost" end tends to adhere to the roll, and become indistinguishable, or nearly so, against the background of the roll. Such occurs with some frequency as it has been, and is, a foremost source of consumer complaints.
"Cling" as used herein is that property of a polymeric film either imparted thereto by suitable additives or occurring naturally therein which enables the film to stick or "cling" to itself or to other smooth surfaces. A practical solution to this problem has proved difficult in view of the need for strict compliance and compatibility with factors relating to the manufacture and loading of the carton, as well as factors which may be associated with marketing and consumer use aspects.
For example, roll dispensing cartons are manufactured, erected, and loaded at extremely high speeds. Any modification to the carton which would impede its rate of manufacture, or the rate of loading or erecting thereof, would be of doubtful value, since it would materially add to the cost of erecting and loading the carton. Some have attempted to solve this problem, as typically shown by a Wankow U.S. Pat. No. 3,549,066. Wankow provides a series of vinyl spots, said vinyl spots being made from a vinyl resinous composition, on the container front wall adjacent to cutter bar to retain and hold the remaining lead portion of "cling" type polymeric film to the container after a desired length has been torn off. While somewhat successful in holding such "cling" type films, the vinyl spots are incapable of holding other films not possessing "cling" characteristics. Wankow also discloses using various other types of spot material for retaining "cling" type films. In addition, Wankow discloses the use of pressure sensitive adhesive spots for holding non-"cling" type films. Wankow does not, however, disclose how to keep such pressure sensitive spots from being removed upon opening the carton nor does he disclose how to protect such pressure sensitive spots from being contaminated by dust or other foreign matter after the carton is opened and portions of the lead portion of the roll material are not being held by such pressure sensitive spots.
Budny, U.S. Pat. No. 3,974,947, has attempted to resolve the aforementioned problems by providing a double ply front panel having a pressure sensitive adhesive layer interposed between and securing such plies. An aperture is die cut, or otherwise formed, in the outer ply to expose a select area of the adhesive, and thereby present a recessed tack spot to which the leading end of the roll can be lightly adhered, and thus prevent it from withdrawing into the carton. However, Budny fails to disclose a passive retention feature, a feature which would retain the leading end of the roll without a conscious extra effort on the part of the user. The Budny carton requires the user to press a portion of the leading end of the roll against the recessed tack spot in order for the leading end to be prevented from withdrawing into the carton.
As yet other qualifications, a truly practical solution, or modification, to overcome the above problems, should be highly functional, its mode of operation readily perceived by the consumer with minimum required attention, and it should not, for any reason, add significantly to the overall cost of the carton, nor detract from its appearance or functionality in other regards.
Accordingly, it is the primary objective of this invention to provide an improved roll dispensing carton having a practical, effective and inexpensive feature for preventing return of the lead portion of the roll back into the carton.
It is another object of this invention to provide such a carton wherein the retaining feature is highly compatible with the manufacture, printing, erecting and loading of the carton, at commercially acceptable speeds.
A further objective of this invention is to provide such a dispensing carton wherein such retaining feature can be included in the carton design with minimum change required in existing production equipment, and with near 100% reliability.
A still further objective of this invention is to provide a means for protecting the feature for preventing return of the lead portion of the roll back into the carton after the carton is initially opened by the consumer and is thereafter closed without a portion of the lead portion of the roll being retained by the feature for preventing withdrawal of the lead portion of the roll into the carton.
Yet another objective of this invention is to provide a carton opening assisting means.